Kosovo-Serbia tensions undermine democratic progress, Freedom House report says

In the report on transition countries titled “The fight deepens regional divisions” that analyses developments in 2022, said that “the long- strained relations between Serbia and Kosovo continued to undermine democratic progress in both countries, even though in various respects”.

The report included tensions in Kosovo's north during 2022 over Kosovo government measures about the use of car plates and identification documents that were followed by roadblocks during the summer and in December.

The local Serbs' “Protests showed Belgrade's influence in northern Kosovo, stressing the difficulties facing central and local institutions for expanding authority and rule of law in that territory, as well as the need for a final agreement with Serbia. Despite these obstacles, however, the Kosovo government responded quickly by adding police patrols and co-operating with international organisations present in the country in order to boost the sense of security, giving priority to dialogue with EU-brokered Serbia”, the report said.

The organisation emphasises that the issue of establishing the Serb majority municipalities' Association remains one of the main topics in negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia in Brussels. Serbia continues to insist on implementing the agreement around it, while Kosovo states that association violates its constitution and undermines the country's multiethnic character.

The Freedom House organisation stresses that the situation in Kosovo's north often caused the government to be focused on lowering tensions, boosting negotiations and concluding an agreement with Serbia, thus distracting officials from daily issues of governance and implementing deeper reforms.

According to the report, Kosovo civil society remained active in 2022, with groups organising protests on women's rights and against violence against women, as well as increasing the housing budget for victims of domestic violence.

After continuing protests and pressure from civil society, the government introduced legal changes that will enable priority treatment of gender-based cases, as police and judicial authorities tend to impose mild penalties on the perpetrators of such violence. Given that Kosovo's patriarchal society still poses challenges for women, including systematic abuse by marriage mates and relatives, the government's initiative to fight domestic punishments and give priority to gender-based violence cases is a major victory for civil society and the country”, the report said.

The organisation stresses that Krenaria's parade, in support of members of the LGBT+ community in Pristina, was organised without incident for the fifth consecutive year as the community is becoming more open through the work of nongovernmental organisations. However, the report says, the situation in rural areas and smaller cities is still difficult, with many individuals seeking help from NGOs for housing and employment. The report notes that in terms of marital equality rights, the religious community in Kosovo has strongly influenced population and policymaking, leading to parliament's refusal of a civil code draft due to marriage within the same sex.

The report cites the shelter of 20 Ukrainian journalists fleeing the war and 5 Afghan journalists fleeing persecution, stressing that the government claimed such programmes show its support for the media, but international and local media organisations argue that journalists in Kosovo are often victims of attacks due to mild sentences and face pressure and toxic rhetoric by Kosovo journalists' association has recorded about 38 physical and verbal attacks on journalists during the year, with only 8 attacks in December during protests on northern roads leading towards the border with Serbia.

“has made a great impression on the role civil society has played in Kosovo during the last year”, said Alexander Carppi, one of the report's authors, stressing that it can play an active role even in resolving the situation with Serbia.

We think there are two people running this process: Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Alexander. I think that the EU can do much more to bring the voices of civil society to the process of negotiations and the prospect of ordinary citizens, especially those in the north”, says Mrs. Carppi.

In 2022, says the report, key politicians were often accused of interference in the judiciary, and court rulings on the properties of a Serbian Orthodox monastery were not implemented despite international calls. While Kosovo's Special Court announced a historic war crimes ruling against a former Kosovo Liberation Army member, the mild penalty for corruption and cases of sexual violence and gender-based violence have been criticised.

Kosovo, said the report, took steps in fighting corruption in 2022, with police operations against bribery leading to the arrest of about 100 border police officials. In addition, the government launched a large-scale operation against illegal construction and corrupt officials, which led to the seizure of 75 villas by judges, politicians and members of their families at the Brezovica Tourist Centre.

The centre-left Vetevendosje movement, currently at the helm of the government, is perceived by Kosovo's population as the least corrupt government in the country. The party considers the fight against corruption as one of its basic pledges and achievements, as evidenced by its actions to high-level wrongdoing”, the Freedom House report said.

The report stresses that war in Ukraine increased the level of uncertainty in Kosovo given the close ties between Serbia and Russia. This has led to an increase in disinformation and false news of escalation of tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. Local and international experts recommended that Kosovo use the moment of Western support for Ukraine to intensify its efforts for international recognition and membership in international organisations. Russia has used Kosovo's <x0 ...racist” to justify its invasion to Ukraine because it does not recognise Kosovo.

Citing Kosovo's application for membership in the European Union, the report stresses that obtaining candidate country status is a difficult fight for Kosovo, as five bloc member states do not recognise its independence and a final agreement is required with Serbia. / VOA